Arizona 2009:05

Your Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors Recommends you VOTE YES on the TV/Theatrical Agreement.

May 13, 2009

STAND UP AND BE COUNTED!

By Lucky Hayes
Arizona Branch President

Screen Actors Guild members have two timely chances to put in their two cents’ worth on contracts that will affect every single member, including you. If you don’t care whether you get a raise and better working conditions, just don’t vote; let others decide for you. But if you do care, please do vote. It is up to us, the members across the country, to make the decisions.

I am sure that by now you have received your ballot for the new Commercials Contract. In my opinion, it was straightforward and good for us. I do hope you read the material, voted and mailed it back.

The TV/Theatrical ballot will be mailed on May 19. It’s controversial. Our national board recommends that we approve the contract, while a minority wants us to vote it down. It is really important that each of us reads the literature and understands the issues. There will be reports from both sides of the question, so you will have the facts upon which to make your decision. I will be voting “yes.” It is my fervent hope that each of you will take part in the process, study the material, vote your conscience and mail it back so that it is received at the assigned post office box no later than 5:00 p.m. (PDT) on June 9, 2009.

It’s our union.

IFP/PHOENIX TELLS FILMMAKERS: ‘GO SAG’

By Don Livesay
Arizona Executive Director

When you hear others saying things about SAG, as a SAG member you have a choice. You might choose to ignore it, or you might want to do something about it. If you see one of Arizona’s largest filmmaker organizations encouraging producers to hire Arizona SAG even when production funding is hard to come by, that’s time to do something.

Click here and view the article by IFP/Phoenix Executive Director Amanda Melby. Be encouraged by what you read. It is written to the IFP membership, mostly filmmakers. The quality in performance that our members provide takes on even greater value when budgets are tight and producers absolutely must realize the most out of every dollar they spend. Our members save time and money.

If you want to put yourself in direct line to work for local filmmakers, consider joining IFP. Information for taking that step is in the article. In the meantime, the Arizona SAG office stands ready to work with all indie producers to help them make the right choice and go SAG.

WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU

Many of you know the Arizona Regional Commercials Contract has been around for almost as long as we have had an office. The code offers a discount to producers and ad agencies to hire members of Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA in commercials that are produced and aired in Arizona exclusively. That agreement is now up for renewal, and the Arizona Branch Council is seeking your recommendations for any modifications you think should be made. Please send them to Don Livesay, Arizona Screen Actors Guild, 1820 E. Ray Road, Chandler, AZ 85225. Or send them by e-mail to don.livesay@sag.org. If you have questions or would like to voice your ideas or concerns directly to SAG, please call Don Livesay at (480) 264-7696 or outside the Phoenix metro area at (800) 724-0767. As a member of SAG, your voice matters!

For a copy of the current Arizona Regional Commercials Contract rate sheet, click here.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Screen Actors Guild Arizona welcomes:

New Members
Brennan Jerry Hillard
Stephen Gary Hengeveld
Michael Bennett
Jennifer Bilotti

Transfers
Chris Demetral
Shaun Gerardo
Amber Goetz
Tom Hedrick
Lorilyn C Huckstep
Franz H Laubert
Alan Luzietti
Rebecca Parisi
Alexus Robertson
Nathan Reed
Tiffany Shepis
Thomas Taormina
Vern Urich
Michael Wittmers

BookPALS CLOSES OUT 11TH YEAR IN ARIZONA

By Ellen Dean
Arizona BookPALS Coordinator

Arizona BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools), a program of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, is wrapping up its 11th year in Arizona. Thank you to all 134 volunteers who helped to enhance children’s literacy by reading aloud in the schools, at special events and on the telephone, and writing to children as part of the PencilPALS program.

Thanks to BookPALS’ partnership with Reading Tree, a book recycling program, we were able to give more than 8,000 books to the entire student body at eight BookPALS Schools. Please deposit your used books in the blue bins at Fry’s grocery stores to support this project.

We hope, if you haven’t had the opportunity to participate in the BookPALS program, you will consider joining for the 2009–2010 school year. Training and support is provided. It’s an excellent way to keep your acting skills sharp and volunteers agree it’s the most fun they ever had volunteering.

Congratulations to Toni Jourdan and Frank Koerner for being selected as PencilPAL and BookPAL of the Year, respectively. See photos below.

Have a wonderful summer, and please visit the BookPALS website, bookpals.net, to volunteer as a reader. See you next school year!

SAG’s DOCUMENT LIBRARY

Looking for a claim form? Want to check the details of any of the Guild’s agreements?

If you are registered at SAG.org and logged in, you’ll find everything you need to do business with SAG—quickly and efficiently. It is all in one place. The Document Library is your one stop for forms and performer handbooks. Go there now by clicking here.

THE SAG FOUNDATION STANDS READY TO HELP

The Screen Actors Guild Foundation enhances the lives of actors by investing in programs that help them in their professional endeavors. The foundation’s financial assistance, catastrophic health, educational and literacy programs reflect the concerns and interests of SAG members as well as their desire to “give back” to their communities. The SAG Foundation is independent from SAG but offers substantive services to Guild members, free of charge. For details, visit SAGFoundation.org or call (323) 549-6708.

SPRING MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Announcing:
The Annual Spring Membership Meeting
With Special Guest
Tucson Film Office Director Shelli Hall

When: 2-3:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 13, 2009

Where: Arizona Theatre Company
Temple of Music and Art
330 S. Scott Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701
(Between 13th & 14th Streets, a block east of S. Stone Avenue.)

Directions:
From Phoenix: Exit I-10 at Prince Road (exit 254), take the Frontage Road to Congress; turn left (east) on Congress; turn right on Scott.

Discussion Topic: Can we replace Arizona's dependency on location roulette with a sustainable industry that creates real employment opportunities for local film professionals?

Hear it from an insider. We are now at risk losing it all, the incentives and even our state film office. But do the Arizona incentives work as they should? Shelli serves on the Arizona Film & Media Coalition and in her unique position knows why we are where we are today and what we can do about it. Find out how the Tucson Film Office is actively building a base for production that will provide more job opportunities for Arizona actors.

Also on the agenda: Reports from our Branch president, National Board director and our active committee chairs. Plus a Q&A on the new Commercials and TV/Theatrical contracts.

This is your chance to:
• Come and meet your elected leaders and ask them all the questions you want.
• Tell them face to face what you’d like to see happen in our marketplace.
• Offer your suggestions on how to create job opportunities.
• Submit ideas on what subjects and skills you’d like to see covered by our conservatory.
• Get actively involved in your own future by becoming actively involved in your union.

Don’t forget to bring your membership card for admittance. Only active, paid-up members in good standing (paid through April 30, 2009 and/or October 31, 2009) will be permitted to attend the meeting. Parents whose children are SAG members are welcome to attend.

WHAT IS ARIZONA’S CLOSE-UP?

Arizona’s Close-Up is the official e-newsletter of the Arizona Branch. It is published quarterly, and it is designed to keep our Arizona members informed of news and upcoming events. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. Please send them to Arizona Branch Executive Director Don Livesay at don.livesay@sag.org.